In a letter dated 6th December, written on behalf of Adeyanju by Zainab Otega of Deji Adeyanju & Partners, the apology was tendered to Johnson Usman, SAN, counsel for Damagum and Anyanwu.
Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, has formally apologised for his alleged defamatory remarks against the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, and the acting National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
In a letter dated 6th December, written on behalf of Adeyanju by Zainab Otega of Deji Adeyanju & Partners, the apology was tendered to Johnson Usman, SAN, counsel for Damagum and Anyanwu.
The letter stated: “Our client received two letters from the law firm of the revered Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J. J. Usman, alleging that some statements he made on a podcast a few weeks ago were deemed defamatory of Damagun and Anyanwu, the National Chairman and Secretary of the PDP respectively.”
It continued, “These statements were not intended to defame your clients, and any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.”
Adeyanju had earlier accused Damagum and Anyanwu of being moles for President Bola Tinubu within the PDP, claiming, “While Damagum is serving tea, PDP’s National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, goes to the kitchen to serve Kilishi.”
Following the allegations, Damagum and Anyanwu, through their counsel, demanded a retraction and public apology. They warned of imminent civil and criminal litigation if their demands were not met.
The apology letter further clarified that Adeyanju’s statements were “taken out of the bigger context of the conversation, which is the need for the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party to provide a virile opposition to the ruling party.”
Adeyanju reaffirmed his commitment to the betterment of Nigeria, stating, “As a human rights activist, our client remains committed to the betterment of Nigeria and will continue to urge those in leadership to prioritise the interest of Nigerians over and above personal interest.”
This development comes after intense public scrutiny and the threat of legal action by the PDP leaders.
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